I think the internet is great. I can keep in touch with familiy and friends for no extra cost no matter where in the world they are at. I have news, movies, tv, music, and more right at my fingertips. I have access to unlimited amount of learning material and am able to research anything that I feel the need to know about without leaving the comforts of my home. I use it to gather resources and do research to homeschool my daughter and much much more. I couldn't see myself without the internet as a part of my life at this time. I feel though there is many out there who may use it for negative purposes but that is true in most anything and the positive that comes from the internet is well worth me having it in my home.

It's funny really, I remember getting my first computer and living in the south a lot of older people would comment on it being the devil's TV. It's a simple way to let sin into the home. Now I do agree that some things left unreachable to a younger audience can now be very easily accessed by computer.This, I feel is an endangerment, I know I have seen some things on here that freaked me out and are burned into my mind forever (lol)
Now having said that, I feel it is the best thing to ever happen to this world, so many things are right at our fingertips now, we can shop from France, order pizza online and have it delivered w/ not a single phone call, keep tabs on friends and family w/ IMs and email, blog to keep our loved ones in the know. SO many things that benefit us, including billpay. I am sure I could go on and on. My kids aren't with me for certain periods of the year, they are in another state to having an IM w/ voice and video helps me stay close, I could not have that w/out the PC.
I really think the only downside I can think of is I live at this desk, I never get out in the real world, sorta tends to make one a little agoraphobic at times. I do miss people but I have made a living at my computer and each hour I am away from it, I lose money. The bottom line is I feel we are a society of people who live within themselves and never share with others, help others and just worry about our own selves BUT I do not feel the invention of the computer did this, I think society did this. With crime rates, and the acts that humanity are playing now on others is appaling. We are a fearful society. I have read a post or two about people w/ dissabilities who can't work making a little income online and that is wonderful.
I certainly feel the invention of the internet has more pros than cons.